diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index b445469cfc..f260c42883 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -10729,11 +10729,18 @@ virDomainGraphicsListensParseXML(virDomainGraphicsDefPtr def,
     xmlNodePtr save = ctxt->node;
     virDomainGraphicsListenDefPtr address = NULL;
     char *listenAddr = NULL;
+    char *socketPath = NULL;
     int nListens;
     int ret = -1;
 
     ctxt->node = node;
 
+    if (def->type == VIR_DOMAIN_GRAPHICS_TYPE_VNC &&
+        (socketPath = virXMLPropString(node, "socket"))) {
+        ret = 0;
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     /* parse the <listen> subelements for graphics types that support it */
     nListens = virXPathNodeSet("./listen", ctxt, &listenNodes);
     if (nListens < 0)
@@ -10786,6 +10793,7 @@ virDomainGraphicsListensParseXML(virDomainGraphicsDefPtr def,
  error:
     VIR_FREE(listenNodes);
     VIR_FREE(listenAddr);
+    VIR_FREE(socketPath);
     ctxt->node = save;
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/tests/genericxml2xmloutdata/generic-graphics-vnc-socket-listen.xml b/tests/genericxml2xmloutdata/generic-graphics-vnc-socket-listen.xml
index a3b82fe693..d8742c6e9f 100644
--- a/tests/genericxml2xmloutdata/generic-graphics-vnc-socket-listen.xml
+++ b/tests/genericxml2xmloutdata/generic-graphics-vnc-socket-listen.xml
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@
     <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
     <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
     <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
-    <graphics type='vnc' socket='/tmp/QEMUGuest1-vnc.sock'>
-      <listen type='address' address='127.0.0.1'/>
-    </graphics>
+    <graphics type='vnc' socket='/tmp/QEMUGuest1-vnc.sock'/>
     <video>
       <model type='cirrus' vram='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
     </video>